Early next month, Europe will have another Android 2.2 handset to choose from. HTC has just announced that the HTC Aria will be heading to European shores as the HTC Gratia. The HTC Gratia will be a great new device for anyone looking to jump onto the Android boat but who wants to stay away from those expensive rate plans. The 600 MHz processor, 3.2 inch display, and 5 MP camera (with no flash) will certainly not be turning any heads, but it’s certainly a step up over the HTC Wildfire or any of Motorola’s new phones running outdated versions of Android.

Pricing for the HTC Gratia will be determined by local carriers when it show up in stores across Europe next month. We know that most of you will pass on the HTC Gratia, but it might be a great Christmas present for your grandparents or little sister.

Combining style and functionality, the sleek and compact HTC Gratia features a seamless wrap-around soft-cover that eliminates hard edges and a five megapixel colour camera with auto focus. At just over four inches in length and weighing 4.06 ounces, it packs power thanks to Android 2.2 — the latest version of Android.

HTC Gratia also embodies the acclaimed HTC Senseâ„¢ experience, which places you at the centre, by making your phone work in a more personal and natural way, while providing unexpected features that put a smile on your face. It also offers you more ways to stay connected with Friend Stream — an application that brings all of your Facebook, Twitter and Flickr updates into a single, organized flow of updates — making keeping in touch with friends on social networks even easier.

“HTC’s mantra is to provide a unique mix of experience and choice to people using our phones,” said Florian Seiche, President of HTC Europe, Middle East and Africa. “HTC Gratia offers something completely different. Its compact size, beautiful design and power with Android 2.2, combined with its personalised experience through HTC Sense, is uniquely compelling. We can’t wait to bring HTC Gratia to our customers in Europe.”

Availability
The HTC Gratia will be available through mobile operators and retailers across major European markets from November 2010.

Nick is a tech enthusiast who has a soft spot for HTC and its devices. He started HTCsource.com (the first HTC blog) back in 2007 and later joined the Android and Me family in the summer of 2010.

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http://Website khush

Not to hyped about the phone but it has a beautiful design. HTC seems to make the lower end phones more square and all the high end phones looking like bars of soap. I have nothing against the g2 design or anything but I would like a phone with more of a square shape like droid

http://Website eric rossman

In July I put down my G1 and picked up the HTC Aria. Call me a grandpa and or little girl if you must, but I absolutely love everything about this mini-incredible little monster. After rooting to remove the embedded att&t apps (plus added live wallpapers, wifi tethering) there has not been a single game or app that has not run flawlessly on the Aria. Reviewers like to downrate this little phone for no reason, It really can do almost everything the much more expensive phones can do (flawlessly I might say again). Most people I have let handle the Aria ended up buying one for themselves, as the reviewers tend to only steer people towards the high-end phones. I am quite reserved about buying the most expensive feature packed smartphones on the market due to the feedback I get from everyone who owns them. The people I interact with who have bought the higher end phones seem to be always thwarting off buyers remorse when the next bigger-badder-faster model hits the market.

I don’t know about others, but the main roles of my Aria is: Phone, GPS, wifi-tethering (3g) to my laptop when I travel.

Because the size of the phone sceen is a little small for my internet browsing comfort (still very usable browsing through the phone though), I will be buying the Archos 101 android tablet for browsing, multimedia, games, fring/skype.

I am saying that buying a cheaper smartphone like this leaves a market need for other devices like a nice internet tablet :). As a side note wifi tethering, allows me to buy a wifi-only internet tablet for much cheaper than the 3G enabled tablets.

-good times friends :)

http://Website Ryan Kim

I love my aria too. After rooting and flashing cyanogen mod 6, it fits my needs perfectly. All games run perfectly well, and the screen size is just right. The HTC Aria is not a phone for grandparents or little sisters.

http://Website Brett

What did you use to root your Aria? Did you flash a custom ROM or anything?

http://Website Nick

As I pointed out in my review of the Aria a few months back, the little handset is probably one of the best small Android phones on the market. Definitely better than the Hero and DROID Eris. One thing I realy loved about the phone was the battery which seemed to last forever and that the little thing could even play some of the better 3D games from the Android Market.

@ Nick Gray, I only took your last sentence to read: This device would be better as a gift for the elderly and teenage girls, and that the main consumer population should pass on this device.

I appreciate your good review of the Aria, this european market twin (Gratia) will likely do very well. I do recall you ripping on Att&t crud and restrictions more, and not discounting the Aria hardware itself in your previous. In this Gratia article you seem to be discounting the hardware as a sub-par for the main consumers.

The main point of my first responce was to help answer the growing debate for the useful need for android tablets with my own perspective. I did base my opinion on the Pro’s of the Aria, giving up Aria hardware shortcommings (ff-camera, large screen) as need for a tablet device. . I found the Aria to lack a couple of features, nothing that would make me break contract and change phones.

I want the smaller form factor smartphone in my pocket, and I am not alone.

-either way these are my opinions, and I mean no offense, I think your contributions a fair and well thought out.

lmao. My grandparents couldn’t operate a Nokia c5 talk less of an Android powered smartphone. I get what you’re trying to say though.

http://Website situation

So if this can run 2.2, why can’t the eris run it. I’m guessing they have similar software. Just wondering?

http://Website Nick

the reason the Eris is no longer getting upgrades is becasue Verizon has chosen to stop supporting it. T-Mobile is rolling out Android 2.2 for the original myTouch 3G which has the same internals as the Eris.

http://www.androidappreviewsource.com Android App Reviews

Wow, nice phone.

http://Website adam

@situation if u want to 2.2 os on your phone root your phone and get rom manager that has 2.2 os for droid eris and htc hero users.

http://Website UniqueNate

Why don’t they just make all white phones? What is up with this half and half? I think all white phones would compliment the screen more.

http://thegoogleandroidnews.blogspot.com/ thegoogleandroidnews

Can’t wait……………………

http://Website Jav Carra

Hey guys a Q?

HTC hd mini or HTC aria? betwen those 2 which you buy and why?

the mini is a windows phone the other 2.2 android.

I need some feed back thanks!
jav

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